🔗 Share this article

Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s created a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.

But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of home video. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or indeed making it anywhere and within any profession.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue is out on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the UK.